It’s amazing when someone’s words succinctly and beautifully sum up the way we feel. That’s one of the many reasons music and literature continue to be so beloved by people across the world.

Our work is deeply influenced by art and the world around us, and that got us thinking: What are the smartest and most meaningful pieces of prose professionals and artists have contributed to the experiential marketing field? After some research, we singled out the quotes that most resonated with us.

“Provide an experience that is both useful, usable, desirable, and differentiated and you will create demand for your brand and delight your customer.” –David Armano, Edelman Digital

This quote does a fantastic job of summing up how to create an experiential marketing campaign that will deliver outstanding results. No brand should plan an experiential marketing activation simply for the sake of doing one. Once you’ve set your desired goals, outcomes and audience for your campaign, you should move on to addressing the factors mentioned above.

All experiential marketing events should provide consumers with something of value. Consumers should constantly receive useful information about a brand’s mission, values, key messages, and products and services.

If consumers receive takeaways from the event, they should be usable items they’ll keep around their house or office. Again, to make the right impression, you only want to provide consumers with something of value. If someone throws away your cheap pen or flashlight, they aren’t looking at it every day, and they have no emotional attachment to it.

The best experiential marketing events are those consumers remember long after they’re over. Many factors can contribute to that, but one of the biggest things your brand must do is give consumers in your target audience something they desire. Do they want to meet celebrities? Attend the biggest and best parties in town? Give back to people in need with every purchase? Try out the latest and greatest technology? If you can deliver, they’ll develop very strong and positive feelings toward your brand.

Creating a campaign that differentiates you from your competitors is also vital. First of all, you want consumers to remember that it was YOUR brand that gave them that amazing experience, not just “that one beer company” or “some airline.” And keep in mind that consumers have lots of experiences competing for their attention these days. The best way to ensure they’ll select yours over another one is to create something they’ve never seen and can’t possibly skip.

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but about the stories you tell.” –Seth Godin

We’d add “and the experiences you provide” to this quote, but it’s outstanding as it is. Storytelling has always been a major part of human culture, and it’s a crucial part of today’s marketing mix.

You can tell your story through advertisements, social media and product labeling. But there’s nothing like allowing consumers to learn and experience your story first-hand. Use a mix of in-person interaction, digital media, tactile experiences, interactive displays or whatever feels most appropriate to convey key messages you want consumers to absorb.

“For companies to be competitive today, it’s no longer about lower cost, the best product, or the biggest brand. The basis now is: Who’s got the relationships?” –Sanjay Dhalakia

Getting ahead in life and work is as much about who you know as what you know. Relationships are key to people’s success, and today more than ever, they’re key to the success of businesses. That’s why the best businesses invest so heavily in things like social media, content marketing – and experiential marketing.

As we explored in a previous blog post, there are deep similarities between consumers’ relationships with brands and each other. When times get tough, people support the people and brands they have a relationship with. When people want to celebrate, they celebrate with the people and brands they care about. Use experiential marketing to forge relationships with consumers that are so deep, they’ll think of you and stick with you no matter what life throws at them.

“What we’re really trying to do is engage with the consumer community so deeply, that they begin to take on the task of evangelizing the brand themselves.” David Rich

This quote ties in nicely with the previous one, but it’s so important that we’re glad for a chance to take a look at it from a slightly different angle.

In a world where consumers expect two-way interaction and authenticity from their favorite brands, it’s no longer enough to talk at consumers. Companies must build relationships with consumers if they expect them to stay engaged with them and their products. This is especially important for businesses looking to create word-of-mouth marketers and brand ambassadors – types of allies that are infinitely valuable to brands.

Experiential marketing is a great way to build and engage these groups. Providing someone who already loves your brand with a once-in-a-lifetime experience may be enough to move them from being a fan to a die-hard supporter. Giving existing brand ambassadors and evangelists the same (or a similar experience) in the form of a thank you event will deepen their commitment to the company. Even allowing a lukewarm supporter a chance to immerse themselves in the company’s values and products may be enough to light a fire under them and turn them into the type of brand champion you need.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” –Maya Angelou

The most effective marketing campaigns appeal to people’s hearts rather than their heads. Because of their interactive and tactile nature, experiential marketing campaigns are powerful ways to reach consumers on an emotional level. There are ample opportunities to create a connection between their feelings and the brands they love. Do that, and what you say or do in the future won’t have nearly the same impact. That’s because they’ll never forget how you made them feel.

“The best experiences are authentic because they allow brand’s to speak to people when they feel like they are invisible to everyone else.” – Reinaldo Piloto, Factory 360